15/05/2026
I’m 37 years old. My partner is a doctor, he makes good money, has his life together, and is surrounded by people who have reached a similar level. I come from a poor family, I don’t have a college degree, and I work for minimum wage. I live with him, and even though everything between us is okay, I’m having a harder and harder time dealing with how people around him see me. His friends and family have never said anything directly to me, but I can feel the judgment in their looks, that quiet “what is she doing here.” The worst was at one party when someone joked that I “landed well.” Everyone smiled, and I smiled too, even though inside I wanted to disappear. He supports me and has never made me feel like I’m less than him, but the difference between us and the way other people see me is starting to overwhelm me. Sometimes I feel like what hurts the most isn’t even what they say, but the fact that I’m starting to believe it myself.